Secrets Behind Those Eyes

by S. M. Donaldson

  “Oh, Ryder.”

  I move a little faster. I can feel my release creeping up on me.

  I lift her legs to rest them on my shoulders . This gives me the access to go deeper. “Oh Shit. Oh God. Fuck. RYDER! Oh God. Harder!”

  I grab around her legs, and start slamming into her harder and faster until she’s rambling some incoherent gibberish and I’m spilling my load into the condom.

  ~*~

  We lie wrapped in each other’s arms, under that picnic blanket, with her head resting on my chest. My stomach suddenly growls like I haven’t eaten in weeks.

  She smirks and looks over at me. “So I guess you worked up an appetite, huh?”

  “Well yeah.” I reach over and grab the picnic basket. “I’m glad we still have a little food left. I may have starved before this storm blows over.” I glance over at her, lying there in just her panties and bra.

  She glances up. “Yeah, we wouldn’t want you starving to death. Could you give me a little of that sweet tea?”

  “Of course. I’m a growing boy. Hey, are you okay? I mean, not just physically.”

  She nods. “Yeah. It’s just funny. When I was getting ready for tonight, Annabelle made me go back and put on this panty and bra set. I wasn’t going to. I told her that you’d already seen me in my underwear and I really didn’t intend for that to happen tonight.” She sits back against the wall. “Funny how things don’t always go like you plan.”

  I sit next to her and pull her into my side, as I bite into a piece of chicken. “Hey, are you sure you’re okay? I mean, trust me, it wasn’t my fantasy to take your virginity right here in this storage room. But I’ll never regret being your first.”

  She looks up at me and bursts out laughing. “You have chicken crumbs all over your face. Are you really that hungry?”

  I start laughing. “What can I say? You really make me a starving man.”

  We laugh and talk for a couple more hours. When the rain finally decides to let up, I glance down at the now empty picnic basket. She looks as well and we both start laughing again.

  As we walk out to the bike. “Ryder, I’ll never regret you being my first.”

  I pull her to my chest. “I don’t know what to do with you sometimes. You stormed into my life with a ton of spitfire and took over my every thought.”

  She giggles again. “Well, if you don’t know what to do with me, I can definitely ask you to keep doing what you were doing early. You can do that with me.”

  “I think I can manage that.”

  “And as far as where it happened… Sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned.”

  We settle on the bike and head off to her house. She holds me tight as we drive through the night from Tybee Island. Once we get to her house as we are getting off the bike she grabs her phone and we both hear it chiming. She opens the message and looks angry.

  “Damn it. What in the hell are they thinking?” she asks.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah just pain in the ass. Look, I’m kinda tired and I’d really like a hot shower. I’ll explain this later. If that’s okay?”

  I really want to know more, but I’m not going to push. “Yeah sure. But if you need me, let me know. I don’t know what this is about, but I care about you. If you need help in the shower, I’d be more than willing to help there, too.”

  She pops me on the arm. “I’m sure you would. Thanks for a wonderful night. I really had a great time tonight, it’s been awhile since I could say that.”

  I press her back into the door frame. “Good. I hope it’s the first of many.” I take her lips with mine. “You have to be the sexiest creature God ever put on this planet.”

  She smiles, turning and opening her door. “I’m going to go take a hot, soapy shower.”

  She did that shit on purpose. “Well, I guess I’m going home to take a shower and think about your shower, while I beat off like I’m in ninth grade.”

  She looks back at me serious before she shuts the door. “Ryder, thank you for a great night.”

  “Anytime.”

  She shuts the door and I text Judd.

  Hey man. Date was a success. Thanks again for your help. But I think I’m in trouble. I think I’m falling in love.

  I shove the phone in my pocket and take off for home. I know it’ll be a while before he reads it with the time difference. I wish he were here.

  Chapter 15

  Scarlet

  What in the hell are Cade and Daria thinking? I read over their texts again.

  Cade: Hey so Daria told me about your wreck and that you were worried about coming here for the baby to be born. I want you here and I don’t want you going back to work so late at that bar. ---Yes I talked to Gable and I did some research on the place. So in the morning my old car will be sitting in front of your house I’ll have the keys dropped in the mailbox. Don’t argue with me about this, I’ve already put it in your name. I’ll see you when the baby is born. I mean it call and quit that bar, the insurance is paid for the year and you have an unlimited gas card in the glove box. I want you to go to school.

  Daria: Sorry my husband can be a bit of a bully when he’s trying to protect people. But I do want you to take this offer. He’s just found you and he loves you. That is just Cade he couldn’t be your big brother growing up so he wants to be one to you now. Trust me one day I’ll get a chance to tell you our story and you’ll understand just how protective he can get. Can’t wait to see you when the new baby gets here. Be careful We Love You.

  I guess I should respond to them, but I’ll wait until the morning when I see exactly what kind of car Cade sends over here. If he sends some brand new expensive car I’m going to kill him.

  I climb in the shower and wash the evidence of my night away. It doesn’t make sense to me how I became so comfortable and open with Ryder. I dated Dustin for a long time and never felt like this with him. Never felt this much attraction. But after just a few weeks I can’t get within ten feet of Ryder Abbott without wanting to take my clothes off and rub our bodies together.

  I hate that I acted that way toward him about it but Cade’s text caught me completely off guard. I’ve never had someone even be able to think about giving me something of this magnitude

  I was so overwhelmed. I mean the only time someone has given me something like this was when I got my scholarship and I could accept it because I worked so damn hard for it. My mother never got much from my father when he left. She was always happy with us getting by on her job at the museum and the craft fairs and shit she did. It always aggravated me that she never got much from my father. Then again how much money can someone send you from prison? Hell even after he was released from prison his ass just ran off, none of us have ever heard from him again. He’s probably making a new family somewhere since he seems to be so great at that. Fuck he’s probably got two or three by now. The water starting to run cold pulls me out of my thoughts.

  Looking at myself in the mirror and seeing my flush cheeks, I think about Ryder again. I should text him. I walk into my bedroom and grab my phone and see a text from Gable.

  Gable: I know you are probably pissed about Cade sending you a car. Shut up about it. Also since he did some investigating and found out what that bar is really like I’m going to beat your ass when I get home. You told me it wasn’t that bad. So Quit. Don’t worry about my car I’ll have enough money to get something when I get home off tour, plus I’ll get a little insurance money from it. I mean it Scarlet quit that place. Also where the fuck was mom in all of this? Love you little sister just looking out for you.

  I guess I’m going to have to text a bunch of people in the morning. Right now I’m texting Ryder and apologize for how I acted.

  Me: Goodnight. Sorry I was kinda a bitch after that text. Please come see me in the morning and I’ll explain. I had a wonderful time tonight and I can honestly say I thought about you quite a bit while I was in the shower. ;-) LOL

  My phone dings righ
t back.

  Ryder: I can’t be there in the morning I have to help Judd’s dad around here we are still waiting on some calves to be born. But can I come by tomorrow afternoon? I had a wonderful time with you too and I’m glad you thought about me in the shower ;-D

  Me: That’s fine just text me. See you then. XOXO

  Ryder: Can’t wait. <3

  Wow. I gotta get some sleep I have a bunch of housework to catch up on tomorrow. I also have a bunch of return texts to make tomorrow.

  ~*~

  Waking up this morning I step outside to see a black four door Infiniti. I’m going to kill Cade. Yes this car was a few years old but it was a freaking Infiniti. I retrieve the keys from the mailbox and climb inside. There is a note on the dashboard. I open it.

  Scarlet,

  This is yours I don’t want to hear shit about this. I may not have been there for you when you were younger but, I’m here now. Our Dad shit us all. I just happened to have a mother who came from a little money. I talked to Gable about this, he is pissed that you were working in a place like that and agrees that this what you need. If you want to work a few hours a week that’s fine but not in a bar and not late though. Your job is school right now. Once you get finished and start making big bucks doing artwork for all kinds of musicians you can pay me back. Maybe. You may have just found me, but you are my little sister and I will always take care of you. Taking care of family is what I do. Not something I get from our father. Take Care. I love you.

  Cade

  I wipe my eyes. Okay so maybe I won’t kick his ass. If Gable and I had ever had the money like this we would have probably done these same things for each other.

  My momma finally pulls in the driveway. Once she gets out she looks at me in the car.

  “Scarlet, who does this car belong to?”

  “Um well while you were gone. I was in an accident and Gable’s car got totaled. Cade sent me this car.”

  “Cade? As in your dad’s child from his first marriage?”

  “Yes momma you know Gable and I met him. This is his old car he’s helping me out because he doesn’t want me waiting tables at the bar I was working at.”

  “So you were in a wreck and no one thought to get ahold of me?”

  “Momma they tried to get ahold of you, but um hello your phone was off. You were at a spiritual retreat. Remember.”

  “Well what happened?”

  “I was on my way home late after work the other night and someone ran me off the road.”

  She shook her head. “Honey I’m sure they didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “ARH! It was on purpose. Everything isn’t all peace signs and happiness.”

  “So negative.”

  Ugh I can’t handle her ‘love the world shit’ this morning. “Mother it was on purpose there is proof. Anyway. Ryder drove up on the wreck and called 911. I had to let Gable know about his car and I called Daria, Cade’s wife. I needed to let her know that I wouldn’t be able to come for the baby to be born.”

  “You’re going for their baby to be born, you don’t even know these people.”

  My momma is obviously having a hard time with the fact that I went looking for my brother. “Yes Mother I told you this when we came back from meeting him. We hit it off. Cade is a good brother. He’s nothing like our douchebag father. Anyway he sent me this, paid the insurance for a year and gave me a gas card. He wants me to go to school and not be working somewhere that I get felt up every five minutes or witness people snorting lines of cocaine in the backroom. Whatever beef you have is with the asshole who was married to a couple of unsuspecting women at once. Not Cade so get over it.”

  “I loved your father.”

  “Well he didn’t really love anyone. But Cade loves Gable and I both, so lay off. You are always talking about free love and being good to people. Well don’t just say it. Do it. Now I have some errands to do, before I come back and catch up on laundry and stuff.”

  “Scarlet. I’m sorry. It’s just hard you know. I’m glad you’ve found someone else that you can count on, I know it takes a lot for you and Gable to trust people. So did Ryder think to try and call me or Gable?”

  “Yes I did but I couldn’t get anyone to answer the damn phone. So I took care of her myself.”

  We both turn startled at Ryder’s voice.

  Chapter 16

  Ryder

  I walk up on the end of a heated conversation where her hippie ass mother is actually defending their father or her love for him rather. She’s pissed that her brother sent her a car that I am still a little confused over. But when her mom questions why I didn’t get up with them, I hit protective caveman mode.

  Scarlet runs over to me. She kisses me on the lips. “Hey I thought you weren’t coming by until later.”

  I smile down at her. “Well we had a calf born this morning now we are only waiting on a couple more, so I told Nelson I’d meet him around 1. I wanted to come surprise you and take you to breakfast.”

  She gives me a smile that I hope I always make her have. “That sounds great.” She pulls me by the arm. “Whisper Johnson, meet Ryder Abbott. I believe you guys have met at the museum.”

  Her mom nods. “Yes, he used to come in and drop off paperwork and things for his daddy. You have certainly grown into a handsome young man.”

  I smirk. “Thank you.” I look over to Scarlet. “You ready to go?”

  She bounces. “Yes just let me grab my purse and I’m driving.”

  As she turns to run I grab her arm. “Babe not that I don’t like seeing your cute polka-dotted jammies, but you may want to change before we head out to breakfast.”

  She starts laughing. “Oh come on I was trying to make a fashion statement.”

  I shake my head as she runs in the house. Her mom looks at me. “She seems happy.”

  “I hope she is.” I turn to her. “Look I’m sorry I popped off like that, but I’ve never- I mean never had someone affect me like Scar. So I’m a little defensive when someone questions that.”

  She nods. “Well I’m sorry they couldn’t get in touch with me. I guess it’s one of those things you just don’t think about until it’s too late.” She leans against her car. “I’m sorry my questions came off like that, it’s just I’ve always taken care of my kids myself. So to find out one of them got hurt and they couldn’t get in touch with me. It’s just hard on me.”

  “I can understand that. Trust me I tried to call you several times. Gable and I did talk when he finally got back to the bus where is phone was that night.”

  She looks at the ground. “Did you know that was the kind of bar she was working in?”

  “I knew it was not the place I wanted her working. As a matter of fact I sat there one night just to keep her safe. Is she planning to quit? I’ve been asking her to.”

  “Yes Cade and Gable asked her to after all of this.”

  “Oh Cade is her other brother right? The one she just found?”

  Her mom nods as the front door opens and Scarlet comes bouncing out. She smiles. “Ready?”

  I grin. “I guess.”

  I sit down in the passenger side of the Infiniti. “So who does this car belong to?”

  “Well me now I guess.”

  “Ok I’m a little lost. Your mom also said something about you quitting your job. I’m happy but also a little lost on that one too.”

  She smiles and starts with the text from last night. Once she’s finished explaining we are pulling into the Waffle House for breakfast. I laugh. “Oh I bet you were pissed about the car. You get all pissy about people paying you compliments or giving you stuff.”

  “What do you mean I get pissy about compliments?”

  “Look how you treated me when I first gave you compliments.”

  She punches my arm playfully. “You were being a chauvinistic ass.”

  After we get out I walk around to her side and press her against the car. “I can say however that I am very excited that you will no longer be wo
rking at the bar.” I kiss her hard on the lips.

  She pulls away for a second. “I think I can feel just how excited you are.

  “If you look at me like that much longer I’ll be eating for breakfast but it won’t be Waffle House.”

  “Well I’m hungry and not for tube steak, so let’s go eat.”

  ~*~*~

  An hour later we are driving back to her house. “So when are you going to let them know that you’re quitting?”

  “Well I’m not due to work again until Wednesday, but I’ll probably go by or call tomorrow.”

  “I’d prefer that you call. After the other night and what you witnessed in the back room I can’t help but feel it’s connected. If you decide to go promise me you’ll make sure it’s when I can go with you.”

  “It shouldn’t be a big deal if I go in broad daylight.”

  “Please don’t.” My phone starts ringing. “Hey Nelson what’s up? - Oh yeah, I’m sure I can hang on.”

  I look over to Scarlet. “Hey can you swing by the FRM store and run me by my house? Nelson needs a couple of things for the new calf.”

  She gives me a huge smile. “Yes! As long as I get to see the new calf.”

  I go back to Nelson on the phone and chuckle. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

  Twenty minutes later we are driving down my driveway. “Here pull up to the house and I’ll load this stuff in the Ranger and we’ll take it out to the barn.”

  “This is so exciting.” She dances in her seat.

  “Let me guess. You’ve never actually touched a brand new calf before?”

  “I only petted one once at a petting zoo.”

  I laugh. “Okay well I tell you what you can help me feed some of the new babies. I have a couple that have to be bottle fed.”

  “Oh my Gosh Really?”

  I shake my head as I’m loading powder mix in the ranger. “Yes REALLY!” I act silly like a teenage girl.

  She play punches my arm. “Ass. I’m excited.”